Electric circuit controlling appliance



June 18, 1935. J. sAcHs ELECTRIC CIRCUIT yCONTROLLING APLIANCE loriginal Filed sept. e, 1951 a 38 HI/EH Ur Patented June 18,' 1935 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTBOLLING APPLIAN CE Joseph sechs, west Hartford, conn.

Original application September 6, 1931, Serial No. 563,149, now Patent No. 1,947,276. Divided and this application March 7, 1933, Serial No.

. 10 Claims.

No. 1,790,324 dated January 27, 1931, and of the which is nevertheless removable to permit the removal of the switching member without disturbing the connection between one of the fuse contacts and the corresponding switch contact.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive mounting means for the fuse contacts of a fused switch, which mounting means make use of the before-mentioned plate and also the forward projecting end of one switch contact. f

A further object of the invention is to provide arc restraining insulating walls associated with the stationary switch contacts and so mounted as to be readily removable independently of the switch contacts. Preferably the said walls are heldin place by the before-mentioned front plate and ,they may be removable therewith.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent l from the following specication and claims.

This application constitutes a division of mycopending application for Electric circuit 'controlling appliance, Serial No. 563,149 iiled September 6, 1931 on which has beenv issued Patent No. 1,947,276, dated February 13, 1934..

In the accompanying drawing I have shown one embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that the drawing is for illustrative purposes only and is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a circuit controlling appliance constituting an embodiment of the invention, parts of the enclosing box being broken away and also a part of the plate carrying the fuse contacts.

Fig'. 2 is a bottom view of the appliance shown in Fig. 1, the enclosing cabinet being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the switching mechanism. and associated parts for (Cl. o-16) -one leg of the circuit as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In' the drawing I have shown an embodiment of the invention which includes suitable fuse holding contacts and which also includes arc restraining insulating walls associated with the switch contacts. I will, for the sake of convenience and simplicity, describe in detail only those parts at the right side of the appliance, it being understood that the other parts are or may be similar or identical in construction. 10

Secured to the rear supporting wall, in this case the rear wallof the cabinet, are insulating means for supporting the switch contacts. Preferably there is a separate insulating supporting device 24 for each leg of the circuit. Each supporting device 24 is held in place by screws 25, and projecting forward therefrom are two opposed stationary switch contacts 26 and 21, having at their inner sides parallel contactA faces. Electrically connected with the contact 26 is a wire connecting lug 28. Electrically connected with the contact 21 is a fuse contact 29 which is one of a pair of such contacts. Preferably the fuse contact 29 is mounted directly upon the switch contact 21 which is extended forward to permit such mount- 111g.

Positioned at the front of 26 and 21 is an insulating retainer or plate 30 which is spaced forward from the insulating supporting device 24. This plate 30 may extend upward as shown and may be provided with one or more apertures 3| through which project the extensions of the corresponding switch contact 21 and the fuse contacts 29 thereon. Preferably the plate 30 is supported near the top by means of small metal brackets 32 secured to the projecting parts of the switch contacts 21, being connected with the said brackets by means of screws 33. The plate 30 is supported at or near the bottom by means of brackets 34, 34, secured to the rear wall of the cabinet. 'I'he platepis connected with these brackets by means of screws 35, 35. Carried by the plate 30 near the bottom thereof are fuse contacts 36, 36 which, with the before-mentioned fuse contacts 29, 29, constitute pairs of fuse contacts. The fuse contacts as shown are adapted for receiving` cartridge fuses with knife blade contacts, but it will be understood that other types v'of fuse contacts may be provided. Connected with each fuse contact 36 is a wire terminal 31.

For making and breaking the circuit between the stationary switch contacts of each pair, that is, between the switch contacts 26 and 21, I provide a switching member which is movable behind the switch contacts A jections foreach switch device.

Y es' the insulating plate 30 and between the said contacts 26 and 21. Preferably, and as shown, each switching member comprises a thin fiat insulating element 38 .having a conducting contact element 39 supported thereon. 4 The said contact element extends through a slot in the insulating element and has its contact faces at opposite sides thereof.

The switching member 38.-39 is guided for rectilinear movement between the corresponding insulating supporting device 24 at the rear and the plate 30 at the front. The insulating device 24 and the plate 30 are provided respectively with grooves 40 and 4| for receiving the edge portions of the insulating element 38, but it will be observed that these slots are wider than the saidy element so as to permit the switching member to adjust itself transversely without being closely limited by the walls of the grooves. Preferably the insulating element 38 has a rearward extension 38a which is adapted to engage the rear wall of the cabinet which thus serves as an additional guide for the movable switching member.

For operating the switching member or members there is provided a cranked operating member 42 which is pivotally mounted in suitable apertures or bearings in the opposite side walls of the cabinet 1. 'Ihis operating member extends through a slot 43 in the insulating element 38 of the switching member. When there are two or more switch members as shown they are all operated by the same operating member. A handle 44 is provided for actuating the operating member In order to reduce arcing manifestations it is preferable that walls of insulating material be provided at opposite sides of the path of movement of the switch contact 39, these walls serving to confine, mule and cool any arcs that may be formed. In accordance with `the present invention there are preferably provided for this purpose rearward projections 45 and 46 on the insulating plate 30, there being two of these pro- The projections 45 and 46 are so positioned that the switch contact 39 passes close to the walls thereof as it moves from its closed-circuit position to its open-circuit position. Inasmuch as these projections 45 and 46 are carried by the plate 30 it will be apparent that the insulating walls are held in place by the plate and may be removed and taken out of the way whenever the plate 30 is removed to provide more convenient access to the switch contacts.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the plate 30 serves not only to guide the movable switching member, but also to tie together and reinforce the several switch contacts. The plate 30 has the additional function of supporting the lower fuse contacts 36, 36 and it also has the function of supporting the insulating arc restraining projections 45 and 46.

What I claim is:

1. .In an appliance of the type disclosed, the combination of a rear insulating supporting means, two stationary opposed switch contacts on the supporting means and perpe dicular therei to, a pair of coacting fuse receivi g contacts one of which is xedly mounted on the forward portion of one of the said switch contacts, an insulating4 retainer at the front of the switch contacts and directly behind thel position of 'a'fuse' in the said fuse contacts, the said retainer being removable with the last said fuse contact remaining in place, and a switching member rectilinearly movable behind the retainer and between the stationary switch contacts and comprising a movable contact with oppositely .disposed faces adapted to engage or disengage the said stationary contacts, the said switching member being normally guided at the front by the retainer and being freely removable from the appliance after removal of the retainer.

2. In an appliance of the type disclosed, the combination of a rear insulating supporting means, two stationary opposed switch contacts on the supporting means and perpendicular thereto, a pair of coacting fuse receiving contacts one of which is xedly mounted on the forward portion of one of the said switch contacts, an insulating retainer at the front ofthe switch contacts having an opening therein through which the last said fuse contact normally projects, the said retainer being removable in the forward direction with the last said fuse contact remaining in place, and a switching member rectilinearly movable behind the retainer and between the stationary switch contacts and comprising a movable contact with oppositelydisposed faces adapted to engage or disengage the said stationary contacts, the said switching member being normally guided at the front by the retainer and being freely removable from the appliance after removal of the retainer.

3. In an appliance of the 4type disclosed, the combination of a rear4 insulating supporting means, two stationary opposed switch contacts on the supporting means and perpendicular thereto, a pair of coacting fuse receiving contacts one of which is iixedly mounted on the forward portion of one of the said switch contacts,-an insulating retainer at the front of the switch contacts and directly behind the position of atfuse in the said fuse contacts, means on one of the switch contacts for supporting the retainer and permitting removal thereof with the last said fuse contact remaining in place, and a switching member rectilinearly movable behind the retainer and between the stationary switch contacts and comprising a movable contact with oppositely disposed faces adapted'to engage or disengage the said stationary contacts, the `said switching member being normally guided at the front by the retainer and being freely removable from the appliance 'after removal of the retainer.

4. In a fused switch appliance, the combination of a rear insulating supporting means, two stationary opposed switch contacts on the supporting means and projecting forward therefrom, an insulating plate removably mounted at the front of the switch contacts and spaced from the said supporting means, a switching member rectilinearly movable behind thevplate and between the stationary switch contacts and comprising a movable contact with oppositely disposed faces adapted to engage or disengage the stationary contacts, and a pair of coacting fuse receiving contacts one xedly mounted on one switch contact independently of the front plate and entirely free from engagement therewith and the other mounted directly on the front plate independently of the switch contacts.

5. In a fused switch appliance, the combination of a rear insulating supporting means, two, stationary opposed switch contacts on the supporting means and projecting forward therefrom, an insulating plate at the front of the switch contacts and spaced from the said supporting means, means for removably supporting the plate in part directly on one of the switchcontacts, a switching member rectilinearly movable behind the plate and between the stationary switch contacts and comprising a movable contact with oppositely disposed faces adapted to engage or disengage the stationary contacts, and a pair of coacting fuse.

receiving contacts one xedly mounted on one switch contact independently of the front plate and free from engagement therewith and the other mounted directly on and removable with the front plate.

6. In a fusedy switch appliance, the combination of a rear insulating supporting means, a plurality of pairs of stationary opposed switch contacts mounted on the supporting means and projecting forward therefrom, an insulating plate at the front of the said pairs of switch lcontacts and spaced from the said supporting means, means for removably connecting the plate firmly with at least one switch contact of each pair so as to support the plate and so as to tie together and reinforce the switch contacts, a plurality of switching members rectilinearly movable behind the plate and between the stationary switch contacts of the respective pairs and each comprising a movable contact with oppositely disposed faces adapted to engage or disengage the corresponding stationary' contacts, the said switch members being held in place by the sai-d plate and being freely removable in the forward direction when the plate is removed, and a plurality of pairs of coacting fuse receiving contacts having one contact of each pair xedly mounted on one switch contact independently of the front plate `and entirely free from engagement therewith and having the other contact of each pair mounted directly on the front plate independently of the switch contacts.

'7. In a fused switch appliance, the combination of a rear supporting Wall, a plurality of structurally separate insulating supporting devices secured to the supporting wall independently of each other, a plurality of pairs of stationary opposed switch contacts mounted on the respective supporting devices and projecting forward there.- from, an insulating plate at the front of the said pairs of switch contacts and spaced from the said supporting devices, means for connecting the plate firmly with at least one switch contact of each pair so as to support the plate and so as to tie together and reinforce the switch contacts, a plurality of switching members rectilinearly movable behind the plate and between the stationary switch contacts of the respective pairs and each comprising a movable contact with oppositely disposed faces adapted to engage or disengage the corresponding stationary contacts, and a plurality of pairs of coacting fuse receiving contacts having one contact of each pair fixedly mounted on one switch contact independently of the front plate and entirely free from engagement therewith and having the other contact of each pair mounted directly on and removable with the front plate.

'8. In an appliance of the type disclosed, the combination of a rear insulating supporting means, two stationary opposed switch contacts .on the supporting means and perpendicular thereto, a switching member rectilinearly movable between the stationary switch contacts and comprising a movable contact with oppositely disposed faces adapted to engage or disengage the said stationary contacts, and an insulating retainer located at the front of the switching member and having insulating rearward projections carried directly thereby and located to provide opposite insulating walls closely adjacent the paths of movement of the faces of the movable contact, the said retainer normally serving as a front guide for the switching member and the said retainer with the said rearward projections thereon being removable so as to permit removal of the switching `member.

9. In a fused switch, the combination of a rear insulating supporting means, two stationary opposed switch contacts on the supporting means and perpendicular thereto, a switching member lrectilinearly movable between the stationary 'which is fixedly mounted on the forward portion of one ofthe said switch contacts, and an insulating retainer located at the front of the switch contacts and directly behind the position of a fuse in the said fuse contacts and having insulating rearward projections carried directly thereby and located to provide opposite insulating Walls closely adjacent the paths of movement of the vfaces of the movable contact, the said retainer normally serving as a front guide for the switching member and being removable soas to permit removal of the switching member without disturbing the mounting of the said fuse contact on the said switch Contact.

10. In a fused switch appliance, the combination of a rear insulating supporting means, two stationary opposed switch contacts on the supporting means and projecting forward therefrom, a switching member rectilinearly movable between the stationary `switch contacts and comprising a movable contact with oppositely disposed faces adapted to engage or disengage the stationary contacts, an insulating plate removably mounted at the front of the switch contacts and spaced from the said supporting means and having insulating rearward projections carried directly thereby and located to provide opposite insulating walls closely adjacent the paths of movement of the faces of the movable contact, and a pair of coacting fuse receiving contacts one of which is iixedly mounted on one switch contact independently of the front insulating plate and entirely free from engagement therewith and the other of which is mounted on the said removable insulating plate.

JOSEPH SACHS. 

